


Sentimentality

by Dreamin



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Christmas, F/M, Prompt Fill, bodyguard Seb
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-03
Updated: 2019-12-03
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:30:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21656173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreamin/pseuds/Dreamin
Summary: When old memories are too painful, it's time to make new ones.
Relationships: Molly Hooper/Sebastian Moran
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	Sentimentality

**Author's Note:**

  * For [afteriwake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/gifts).

> afteriwake gave me a Molly Hooper Christmas Bingo card to fill out and Moran/Molly was one of the squares.

“How much time do you need?” Sebastian asked as he leaned against the counter by the stove, sipping his coffee.

Molly had to push down the urge to kiss him soundly, but that was nothing new. “It depends on how busy the shops are, but probably not more than a few hours.” She finished making breakfast – steak and eggs for him, just eggs for her – then she carried the plates to her small kitchen table.

Seb sat down across from her, muttering, “I hate Christmas shopping.”

She smiled a bit. “You could always stay home.”

He raised an eyebrow at her. “And leave you unprotected? The Holmes brothers would kill me.”

Sebastian had been her bodyguard since Sherlock’s faked suicide, at Sherlock and Mycroft’s insistence. At first, the former Army sniper had protected her from afar, but Molly didn’t like the feeling that she was being watched, so she had insisted that he move in. That was two months ago and she was starting to regret her insistence. While she felt protected, she was also almost constantly horny. Besides his rugged good looks, his gruff front hid a soft center he rarely let anyone see, and it drove her wild.

Molly grinned at him over her coffee cup. “They’d never have to know.”

“Oh, they’ll know as soon as you left the building unaccompanied,” he said as he started eating. “Then I’d be out of a job. I’d also be out of your life, so that’s one good thing, I suppose.”

It was on the tip of her tongue to contradict him but that would make her feelings for him known so she let the matter drop.

* * *

In public, they pretended to be dating to deflect any suspicion about his presence in her life. It meant a lot of walking arm-in-arm, public displays of affection, and flirting, all of which left her a lovesick mess.

Seb’s gruff voice cut through her wanderings. “Penny for your thoughts.” They were walking arm-in-arm down the sidewalk, passing festive store windows and more shoppers than she had expected.

Molly felt her cheeks warm. “Sorry, I was just, um, thinking about the holidays.”

“I was wondering when you’re going to decorate the flat.”

“I don’t,” she said quietly, “not anymore.”

“There’s a story behind that.”

She shrugged. “Not much of one. My father loved Christmas. Ever since he died, it gets harder and harder for me to get into the Christmas spirit. I’ll buy gifts for my loved ones but as far as decorating … it’s just too much. Every ornament has a special meaning.”

“Too many memories,” he said, nodding. After a moment, he said, “I have the opposite problem – I never had a real Christmas growing up. Da was too busy wasting his money on prostitutes and gambling, Mum was too busy drinking herself into a stupor.”

“I’m sorry,” she said gently, sincerely. “That must’ve been awful for you.”

“You can’t miss what you never had,” he muttered. “C’mon – let’s get your shopping done so we can get out of this crowd.”

* * *

The subject of Christmas was not brought up again in the weeks that followed.

Christmas Eve morning, Molly stumbled bleary-eyed into the kitchen and found Seb already there, leaning against the counter as he sipped his coffee. That wasn’t out of the ordinary, but the fact that he was wearing his plaid flannel pajama pants and nothing else was. She had to avert her eyes (a very difficult thing to do at that moment) to keep from staring at his muscular chest and abdomen.

His eyes were completely on her, though. “Morning, Molly,” he said, his grin audible.

“Um, good morning, Seb,” she said as she moved to the Keurig next to him and got her cup started then put a couple of pieces of bread in the toaster. “I, er, take it today’s Laundry Day?”

He chuckled. “Nope.”

“So, you just felt like being shirtless?”

“I’ve been told I’m more irresistible this way.”

_No argument here._ “Um, right.” She ate breakfast as quickly as she could, her eyes straying to him every so often, and she kept getting pulled in by his amused, cocky grin. _And his abs. Down, girl._

As soon as she was done, she headed back upstairs, deciding to cut through the living room when she stopped dead. A seven-foot evergreen was standing in front of the picture window. It was lush and fragrant, but also completely bare. In front of the tree were three shopping bags full of beads, garland, and ornaments.

Molly didn’t hear Seb approach but she soon felt the warmth of his body at her back. “I took it upon myself to get you a tree. I hope it’s alright.”

She slowly turned to face him, murmuring, “Why, Seb?”

“I thought we could both use a tree this year,” he murmured, his eyes soft. “I couldn’t find ornaments that reminded me enough of you, so I bought some plain glass ones, paint, and glitter. We can make our own memories.”

Molly was having a hard time keeping herself from crying, she was so touched. “Seb, that … that’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever done for me. Thank you.”

He gave her one of his heart-stopping grins. “It’s what any good bodyguard would do.”

She reached out to take his hands, smiling softly. “Is that’s what a good bodyguard does, then what does a good boyfriend do?”

Seb’s smile softened. “Allow me to show you.”


End file.
